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Printed letters, August 4, 2010

I am confounded after reading The Daily Sentinel’s third editorial on the Arizona law. Once again, it has supported outlawing rigorous enforcement of immigration law. At this rate, it won’t take a crystal ball or Nostradamus to predict its position on amnesty when it comes up for serious debate.

I can’t quite grasp the Sentinel’s logic. We know that non-enforcement by the federal government results in illegal immigration. We have granted seven amnesties to 6 million individuals to alleviate the problem, which in turn was rewarded by 20 million more illegal immigrants, again the result of lax enforcement. Current non-enforcement is going to result in what?

Arizona is literally a battle zone of crime and activity directly related to illegal immigration. Arizona passed a law to facilitate the job the federal government won’t do. The Daily Sentinel responds by siding with fears that profiling may occur if someone without adequate identification is questioned about immigration status at a crime scene.

The Daily Sentinel needs to rethink its laissez-faire priorities on law enforcement because it is on the wrong side of this issue. On illegal immigration, the majority of Americans are willing to accept the inconvenience of profiling over murder and mayhem any day.

Perhaps it’s time to be more responsive to the needs of our citizens and less sensitive to the feelings and welfare of illegal aliens.

DANA ISHAM

Grand Junction

McInnis far from only one who has plagiarized

What’s the big deal about plagiarizing? I’ll bet a large majority of lawyers, research people, professors, judges and lots others have done the same thing. The worst ones are ministers in their sermons, according to the dictionary definition of the word.

Also, no one has said a thing about what the foundation that got the research paper from Scott McInnis did with it. If they used it, then they must have been satisfied with it. Now they cry foul. I say they got what they paid for, so shut up.

Now to the judge who said the law can’t stop the person from claiming to be a veteran with the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. I would like to go to the courthouse next time that judge is there and tell him to get out of his chair. I think I am a judge and will take his place.

By the way, I am an 85-year-old, real World War II veteran who got the Bronze Star. Tell that judge to come see me, I will show him my commendation.

NORM SHETLEY

Delta

Public must demand that politicians take up energy

In light of China’s upcoming prominence in energy consumption, the urgency to move forward as a leader with clean energy and an honest climate policy is clear.

Now more than ever, it is time for the Senate to seize this opportunity and end the status quo of our current unsustainable energy policy. However, it is apparent that the relentless and well-funded lobbying efforts from the coal and oil industries are not only obstructing valuable discourse, but much-needed legislative steps toward clean and renewable energy.

In the debate over energy policy, a minority of politicians, such as Texas Republican Joe Barton, constantly obstruct the opportunity to tackle climate change and move toward a clean-energy economy. Until partisan obstructionist tactics are condemned by the current political leadership, America and its citizens will suffer the consequences.

Our senators still have the power to do the right thing and expand America’s leadership role as a clean energy leader into the 21st century. However, without more public participation in this discussion, I fear our country will be left behind.